Claimbox: Midlantic claiming up 20% through February

Mid-Atlantic claiming activity this year remains strongly ahead of 2018 through February 28, up about 20 percent overall. All four tracks currently in action are ahead of their ’18 numbers at this point of the year.

Overall, 378 horses have changed hands via the claimbox in the Mid-Atlantic this year with a combined total value of more than $3.8 million, with an average of $10,183. The number of horses claimed is 19.2 percent higher than the 317 horses that had been claimed at the same point a year ago, and the total value of those claims is up approximately 18.5 percent, from last year’s figure just shy of $3.25 million.

Parx Racing led the region in the volume of claiming activity. The Bensalem, PA track has seen 167 horses claimed to date, 13 more than have been claimed at Laurel Park. The total volume of those claims, almost $1.7 million also is the region’s highest. Laurel Park was second in both categories, and its average claim value — $11,559 — is the region’s highest.

Among trainers, the busiest to date has been Jamie Ness, who has made 15 claims in the first two months of the year. That’s two more than made by Claudio Gonzalez, who is second on the list, with several others just a claim or two farther back.

Among the most active claiming trainers, it’s been Gonzalez who has grabbed the priciest stock. His average claim value has been over $19,000, and he’s claimed $248,000 worth of horses thus far this year. By contrast, the 11 horses claimed away from him have averaged about $9,000 — meaning he’s increased the value of the horses in his barn by almost $150,000 via the claimbox thus far this year.

The busiest owners thus far this year have been Joseph Besecker (11 claims for $198,000) and Jagger, Inc. (10 for $141,000). Besecker works with a number of trainers — Gonzalez among them — and Jagger is the operation of trainer Jamie Ness.

About The Author

Frank Vespe, the founder and publisher of The Racing Biz, has owned, bought, sold, claimed, written, and talked about horses, in varying combinations, for a decade. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on twitter @TheRacingBiz.